Jose’s agent wants 3-year max contract

The camp of former Far Eastern University (FEU) slotman Reymar Jose won’t accept the one-year maximum deal Blackwater is offering to the third pick in this year’s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft.

And if they do not get what they want, Ed Ponceja, the player’s agent, said they would negotiate with the 11 other teams once the seven-day tender offer has lapsed.

Ponceja, a veteran sports agent, told The Manila Times that the six-foot four PBA D-League Most Valuable Player is deserving of a three-year maximum rookie deal worth P8.55 million and they won’t settle for the one-year P1.8 million deal that Elite team owner Dioceldy Sy is offering them.

“We will fight for Jose’s three-year rookie maximum pay because he really deserves that. He is a third overall pick. There are rookies who were picked lower than him in the draft but were given with a three-year maximum pay. That’s why I don’t understand their one-year offer,” Ponceja said.

Ponceja said Jose is a proven hardworking player who can be an asset to a rebuilding team like Blackwater.

But Sy, in a separate interview, insisted their one-year offer would remain, as they want to evaluate first the performance of Jose in his rookie season.

“I hope they understand our situation. We gave a two-year deal to Ael Banal but he didn’t deliver that’s why we are very careful this year,” said Sy, referring to Banal whom they picked first in the second round of last year’s rookie draft featuring the Gilas cadets.

“At least if he (Jose) performs well early this year even after three months or six months, we can give him another one year or two-year extension,” added Sy.